This invention relates to a method for clouding fluids by adding cow cockle starch thereto. It also relates to the blending of cow cockle starch with food and beverage products, such as dry powder mixes, flavor concentrates, and/or syrups to provide or to enhance the cloud in the final product.
It is known and standard practice in the art to provide a cloud in fluids by the formation of oil-in-water or fat-in-water emulsions using edible oils or fats in the case of foods and beverages. These emulsions contain various oils, all of which contribute to the cloud, as well as emulsion stabilizing agents. Typically the oils are citrus and non-citrus essential oil flavorants, clouding oils such as citrus terpene oils and neutral vegetable oils (cottonseed or coconut oil), and weighting or balancing oils such as brominated vegetable oils or Ester gum.
All of these oils, especially the clouding and weighting oils, are subject to oxidation which results in the development of rancid off-flavors in the products and often requires the addition of antioxidants to the products.
Hence, the search has begun for a non-oil-based clouding agent.
Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a safe and simple clouding agent which is not oil-based and thus not subject to oxidation.
It is also an object to provide a clouding agent which may be used to enhance the cloud when essential oil flavorants are used without the customary clouding and weighting oils.
It is a further object to provide a clouding agent which will not affect the flavor of the finished product or develop an objectionable off-flavor during storage.